How Can I Just Be Your Friend
by Lori23
Summary: Couples: SummerSeth, and RyanMarissa
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1  
  
Summer left the Cohen's house in tears. After finally finding someone she genuinely cared about, he rejected her. With a tear stained face she ran up to Marissa's door. Jimmy Copper opened the door for Summer and she fell apart and she couldn't even ask for Marissa.  
  
"Summer let me get Marissa for you. Marissa, Summer is here."  
  
"Coming dad. "Oh, Summer what happened?"  
  
"Well Marissa I am going to the Cohen's house to talk to Sandy. You and Summer have fun."  
  
At mention of the name Cohen, Summer started crying all over again. Marissa led her over to the couch to try and calm her down.  
  
"Summer what happened?"  
  
"He just wants to be friends. I finally put myself out there and he broke my heart. I never want to see Seth again. It hurts too much."  
  
"What did he say?"  
  
"He only wants to be my friend. Friends. What a joke he makes me fall for him and then he blows me off. I can't be his friend."  
  
Marissa managed to get Summer upstairs into her bed. After Marissa had finally calmed Summer down she called Ryan.  
  
"Hello."  
  
"Seth let me talk to Ryan."  
  
"Well hello to you too."  
  
"Don't even go there Seth. Give him the phone."  
  
"Hey baby, what's wrong? Seth just called you the Ice Queen."  
  
"Why is he such an idiot. How could he do this to Summer?"  
  
"How is she doing? She just stared out the window the whole ride over to your house. I could tell she was about to fall apart."  
  
"Like Seth cares. She's a mess. Why on Earth would he pick Anna. He has been in love with Summer since the 3rd grade."  
  
"He didn't want to hurt either of them. So he is just friends with both of them. I would have done the same thing if I was in his place."  
  
"You know what Ryan, maybe I don't know you like I thought I did. The Ryan I love would go after the one he loves and protect her, not break her heart."  
  
The phone clicked in his ear before he could defend himself.  
  
"So the Ice Queen mad at you too?"  
  
"Damn it Seth, just shut up." 


	2. Chapter 2

Ryan threw himself down onto the couch, combing a hand through his hair in frustration. "God, what now?" he mumbled to himself.  
  
"What's going on? What did she say?"  
  
"I don't know, something about Summer being upset that you just wanted to be her friend. I didn't get everything, she hung up on me."  
  
"Summer is upset?"  
  
"Obviously, what am I going to do about Marissa?" he groaned as he held the phone in his hand.  
  
"Maybe I'll go see Summer, is she still over Marissa's?"  
  
But Ryan couldn't even reply, Seth was already out the door. Seth's legs carried him to Marissa's front door before he could even adjust to what his mind was telling him to say, his hand pounded against the door.  
  
Marissa opened it, Summer sat in the background trying to compose herself, a bundle of tissues surrounded her. He watched as Summer shuffled around trying to gather up the tissues sniffing and scurrying about. Marissa didn't try to hide her disdain, "What?"  
  
"I.. I have to talk to Summer?"  
  
"Why so you can hurt her again?"  
  
Seth looked down at the ground, "No, please, just let me speak to her." Marissa sighed and unblocked the entrance, Seth began to walk towards Summer.  
  
"Coop!"  
  
"He wants to talk, maybe this'll help things out..."  
  
"I doubt it," Summer mumbled to herself.  
  
"I'll let you two be alone." Marissa swiftly exited the room.  
  
Seth walked the rest of the way to Summer, she turned towards him a smile on her face, the only remnant left that she had been crying was a small smudge of her mascara, "Yes, how can I help you, Seth?"  
  
"Well, I," he shuffled his feet and looked at the ground.  
  
"Yes?"  
  
"I heard you were.. upset."  
  
"Upset?!" Summer smiled, "Why would I ever be upset? I'm totally not!"  
  
Seth put an hand on Summer's shoulder, "Look , Summer, you don't have to pretend with me. I know you're hurt, but I'm sorry, I can't choose. I just want to be friends, with both of you. Besides, you shouldn't make Marissa think you're so upset, she yelled at Ryan."  
  
Summer looked up at Seth, her eyes knitted together in confusion, "She did?"  
  
"Yes! They're fighting now, see, why couldn't you have just come to me?"  
  
"Because..."  
  
Because...?"  
  
"Because, I always go to Marissa,"  
  
Summer looked back down at her hands.  
  
"Well, her and Ryan are fighting because of it." he frowned slightly, "Can't you come to me if you're upset?"  
  
In her mind she screamed that it was because of him that she was upset, "Yeah, I guess, I'm sorry to have caused so much trouble." Right then and there she felt herself shift off. Like she was no longer the Summer anyone knew, or the Summer she let the few know. She was Summer the robot.  
  
"Don't worry about me, Seth. I have all the problems all like, totally worked out," she grinned, "Why don't you go on home now, I'll make sure Marissa talks to Ryan, so that they kiss and make up, see, no worries!"  
  
He leaned over to give her a hug, "Uh, no way Cohen, I wasn't that upset about it. Geesh, you give yourself too much credit!" she flicked her hair and turned away from him.  
  
Seth shrugged and made his way out the door. Summer listened as she heard Marissa's footsteps come back.  
  
"Well?"  
  
"Well what Coop?"  
  
"What was said?" Marissa gave Summer an expecting look.  
  
Summer laughed, "Like, totally nothing! I can't believe I cried over that complete loser, Coop smack me next time I start to show any interest in any type of like that. Not my type at all."  
  
Marissa spoke softly, "Sure Sum, if that's what you really want."  
  
"It is, now if you'll excuse me, I'm going to go get a tan, bye Coop!" she walked off, leaving behind any resemblance to the old Summer. She was dead.  
  
Through the next couple of weeks Summer withdrew herself completely, she no longer talked to her friends, not even to Marissa. She wasn't going to bother anyone, no. She already blamed herself for too many of the problems going around. Marissa had tried to call her a couple of times but received the hint that Summer wasn't going to answer after the 4th time.  
  
Each night Summer cried, tears would pour down her face. Each morning she would wash her pillows wanting no reminder of her weakness.  
  
Because of the fact that Summer wasn't socializing with anyone her social status went from Goddess-like to practically zilch. But she didn't care. Seth started hanging around Anna more and more and around New Year's Eve it had been rumored that the two had gotten together, officially as a couple. This rumor had turned fact when Summer herself witnessed the two kissing. Marissa and Ryan, Anna and Seth, the two couples that everyone was talking about, and with each word that passed about Seth and Anna, Summer felt herself withdraw even more. 


	3. Chapter 3

After a month of dating Anna, Seth finally started to see that he had turned into a completely different person. Seth was barely home, Anna was always dragging him somewhere. And at first it was great but after a while you want to see your friends.  
  
Seth parked the car at Anna's house and waited for her to get out. "So Seth aren't you going to come inside for a while." Seth just shook his head. "Sorry Anna I am going to spend some time with Ryan. Male bonding time. Besides I don't have to spend every waking moment with you. You understand right?" Anna frowned a little, composed herself and said, "Sure! I'll meet you later though, right?"  
  
"Yeah, sure. I'll see you in a bit, Anna." Bye Seth." Anna walked inside.  
  
"Where oh where could that Ryan be?" Seth quietly hummed to himself, he spotted Ryan by his closet deciding what to wear.  
  
"Yo Ryan!"  
  
"Hey Seth, how are you doing?"  
  
"Not bad, what's going on?"  
  
"Nothing, Marissa is a little worried about Summer, that's all."  
  
"How so?" Seth flopped down on the bed.  
  
"I don't know, Summer hasn't been calling Marissa, hasn't been talking to her at all, or to anyone really. She's really put a distance between everyone."  
  
For the next couple of weeks Seth made sure to keep an eye on Summer. And he was completely shocked to see that Ryan was right. She kept to herself and hardly ever talked. What concerned him the most was the dramatic weight loss. Not that she weighed much to begin with but she was like all bones now.  
  
Seth and Anna arrived at the party at Holly's house. Seth looked around for Ryan, but he knew he wasn't really looking for him.  
  
"Where is she, why isn't she here?" when these words came out of his mouth he knew it was Summer he was pining to see. Anna spun her head around angrily, "Seth who are you looking for?"  
  
"Marissa and Ryan, just chill Anna." His eyes spotted Marissa and Ryan having a drink together, laughing and smiling at one another. Something that Summer would have rolled her eyes at. "Marissa, Ryan!" Seth told Anna he would catch back up with her, and left her talking to Luke.  
  
The two turned to see him, they waved him over. "Hey guys, nice party?" "Oh," Marissa looked around, "I guess, I haven't really noticed," her hand looped through Ryan's. "Yeah, well, have you guys seen Summer?"  
  
"Summer, of course not, why would she be here?"  
  
"What do you mean, she always comes to parties."  
  
"Not lately, Seth. She hasn't been along in a while, she doesn't even talk to me anymore. We use to hang out as much as possible then... she just stopped, no phone calls, no shopping dates, no Saturday night hang out parties. I don't know why either." 


End file.
